• Which the release of FS2020 we see an explosition of activity on the forun and of course we are very happy to see this. But having all questions about FS2020 in one forum becomes a bit messy. So therefore we would like to ask you all to use the following guidelines when posting your questions:

    • Tag FS2020 specific questions with the MSFS2020 tag.
    • Questions about making 3D assets can be posted in the 3D asset design forum. Either post them in the subforum of the modelling tool you use or in the general forum if they are general.
    • Questions about aircraft design can be posted in the Aircraft design forum
    • Questions about airport design can be posted in the FS2020 airport design forum. Once airport development tools have been updated for FS2020 you can post tool speciifc questions in the subforums of those tools as well of course.
    • Questions about terrain design can be posted in the FS2020 terrain design forum.
    • Questions about SimConnect can be posted in the SimConnect forum.

    Any other question that is not specific to an aspect of development or tool can be posted in the General chat forum.

    By following these guidelines we make sure that the forums remain easy to read for everybody and also that the right people can find your post to answer it.

3DS not reading TooltipID!

Messages
1,749
Country
unitedstates
I need some help!

I noticed tooltips using <TooltipID>?</TooltipID> Are not working exporting with 3DS MAX to x file then converting using xtoMDLUI.

The tooltiptext does work. But i need both versions to work. Any ideas?
 

n4gix

Resource contributor
Messages
11,674
Country
unitedstates
<TooltipID> uses only those specific ones defined in the Panels and Gauges SDK "Tooltips" document. Usage is simple:

<TooltipID>TOOLTIPTEXT_RADIO_ALTIMETER_FEET</TooltipID>

The equivalent to this using <TooltipText> is:

<TooltipText>"Radio Altimeter (%((A:RADIO HEIGHT,FEET))%!d! feet)"</TooltipText>"

You cannot simply make up your own <TooltipID>...;)
 
Messages
1,749
Country
unitedstates
You know i have been developing for many years and i am using specific defined tooltips for the <TooltipID> entries.
But for some odd reason since i started using 3DS only the <TooltipText> entries work. All the <TooltipID> entries do not work. Including the default ones that come with the modeldef file.

So i am confused! o_O I can only assume the program XtoMDLUI is the cause.
 

n4gix

Resource contributor
Messages
11,674
Country
unitedstates
Well in that case simply use the "equivalent" scripts in a <TooltipText> entry then. To be honest I've never noticed the issue because I've never used the <TooltipID> forms anyway... :D
 
Messages
1,749
Country
unitedstates
That's what i have been doing so far since 90% of them were using <TooltipText> anyways. But all those default codes like light switches have no tooltip now. And i am not going to replace all of those those.
So i do not think you could have this issue as well. So you must use <TooltipID> for default codes. Do you?

I am starting to think P3D SDK is screwed up.
I am using P3D V1 for xtomdl
And using P3D V2 for 3DS.

UPDATE:
P3D V3 has been updated and now works. So i removed V2 and now using V3 SDK.

But i still have to use P3D V1 for xtomdl. Why? I remember someone said this is the only method for now using this XtoMDL.

I read this at the P3D site. The last section has a note. Is this saying only strings work with P3D? Does anyone here on FS Developer that uses P3D SDK get <TooltipID> to work for them?

http://www.prepar3d.com/SDKv2/LearningCenter/simobjects/panel_and_gauge_resources/tooltips.html
The following table lists the Tooltip IDs and the associated string that will appear on the screen. For details of how to includes these in XML gauges, and for a description of the syntax used in the strings, refer to the Creating XML Gauges document. Note that the strings will be localized into the languages supported by Prepar3D.
 
Last edited:
Messages
1,749
Country
unitedstates
Update:
I found a solution. Using the XtoMDL UI program i point the XtoMDL location to the GMAX SDK XtoMDL and now the tooltips work.
So that statement above is true that the XtoMDL from P3D V1 only reads strings. And i find it odd to even use it when i can use the Gmax SDK.
Of course 3DS Max still needs the P3D V3 for the Aces Tools and exporting to x. But if i can use the Gmax SDK i am happy and i no longer need to keep 2 versions of the P3D SDK on my computer.
 

n4gix

Resource contributor
Messages
11,674
Country
unitedstates
P3D v2 and v3 XtoMDL.exe will compile model files with unique P3D headers. There are some other differences as well, but that's the main one.

FSX and P3Dv1 XtoMDL.exe compile model files with FSX headers.

That is why models compiled with the v2 and v3 P3D XtoMDL.exe files will not even load in FSX.
 
Top